"Questions Will Be Asked"

Incredible. The Villa today had 5 (five) first-team players on the injury list, 2 (two) players that were having to isolate because of COVID precautions, and another (Watkins) who only came on the pitch late as he has only just found his fitness. 

On top of that, another (Targett) is still playing himself in as a result of injury through the summer. That is a total 9 (nine) first-team players that have impacted Villa's start to the season and have caused three quite distinct teams to be put out in three league matches. Another (Luiz) had to miss the first match because of Olympic Games duties.

And then we have the business of Beundia and Ings getting used to a new team. "Which team?", I ask! Bailey is still to come but his cameo in the first game was mouth-watering. It nearly made me dream of European Cups!

And if the list is not already long enough, Konsa went off injured in today's match and whether he will be fit for the next match remains to be seen.

Now, bearing all that in mind, and that is data that is quite accessible to the pundits and journos, this website said, after the match today, and after reporting on Dean's view of the match and his team: 

It still seems to be taking some time for things to click, and until they build consistency, questions will be asked of missing their former captain.

Just what are they trying to stir up? Why am I wasting my time reading this kind of tirade?! I suppose as a Villa fan I should be used to it as there are plenty of people that don't want Villa to succeed and they know full well that a sizeable section of the Villa fanbase can be whipped up into a frenzy.

So, thanks for allowing me the two-minute rant!

Instead, let's look at some positives.

And it's all about the youth. We had a basketful of revelation and joy in the middle of the week at Barrow, let alone the FA Youth Cup win earlier in the summer. And today's circumstances forced the successful appearance of the young Chukka brother as a starter in the first-team line-up. This after Jacob Ramsay has shown that he definitely has the talent after his start against Newcastle.

On top of that, young Archer almost came on to shoot his arrows today but was thwarted by the injury to Konsa that necessitated another defender to be the last sub.

As to the future at Villa Park? All I can say is that it is a great pity that today's bottomless pit of great and potentially great players weren't in place when I was a lot younger. And there's more to come! Phew.

The future is bright! At last!

UTV!

We're Off!

Wow, Mings to Ings and then ... wham!

If nothing else, that goal surely eclipses any worries about the Villa - at least for the time being! With the addition of a full Villa Park attendance, it was almost like the best of the old times.

Last week was something of a sh... week - a shock and a shambles. A shock to see Targett all at sea after such a strong last season. A shambles as the team was obviously not playing like a team - until after half-time when some semblance of teamwork creaked into gear, very much aided by the substitutions.

Even with two of last week's more impressive subs out injured, today it was a lot better. Not perfect, but at least there was some fire in the belly and signs of cohesion, with Beundia, Ramsay and McGinn all playing a similar kind of game and all working their socks off. But Luiz still gives me the eejy-beejies when it comes to his defensive work.

However, we certainly have a striker who knows where the goal is and he and Watkins (when fit) are surely going to worry a lot of defences. They, aided by the new players Bailey and Beundia, and with the young players looking so promising, give me some confidence that it should be a good season.

There's one worry just now. That concerns Targett. Just what went wrong last week? Did he see Ashley Young as a threat and tried too hard to impress as a result? Who knows. But I am happy with Young doing what he's doing. He still has some ability and with his experience it should keep the team well-grounded. Except when they're heading the ball!

UTV!

Jack Will Go - Won't He?

Well, the day seems to have arrived when Jack will decide that Manchester is bigger than Birmingham. There's a chance that a Manchester downpour might scupper the process, but that is unlikely.

The situation opens up emotions in different ways; only last year he had been so convinced by the owners and chief exec of their plan to build a successful Aston Villa, and the previous talk of Dean building a team around him, but it seems that Jack has been swayed by the glib talk that a money-fuelled business tends to generate. 

The picture painted is that it's always so much greener on the other side of the fence. Is that right? Having missed so many games last season could he not have given his boyhood team one more season to see what was developing at Villa Park? Surely the signing of Buendia must have excited his ambitions for Villa?

On the other hand (and there is another perspective, of course), the Villa will gain £100m and we can purchase more quality players, as well as the team not being so reliant on one player. But the downside is that this is the sort of disruption that can slow down Villa's progress - unless the new players' gell quickly and win something before the other players start to get itchy feet.

On balance, though I wish Jack well, I think this could be more of a sad day for the Villa, because the media (who always think they're right) will chalk this up as proof that the Villa are not to be compared with the so-called big teams in Manchester and London.

The Villa have a lot of proving to do - still.

All we can do is provide the emotional energy to keep Villa - this great club - making progress.

UTV!